Giants 101 provides 24/7 obsessive sports coverage of the New York Giants as a part of Sports Media 101. For news,
op/ed, game reviews, team updates and even rumors you will find all of it on Giants 101. Have an opinion - join
the discussion and drop a comment. If it's about the Giants, it's on Giants 101.

A once daily email with the top 5 most important stories from around Sports
Media 101.

Email

News Archives

Washington Redskins’ Mike Shanahan: New York Giants Will Represent Big Challenge for RGIII

November 29th, 2012 at 9:25 AM By Dan Benton

Robert Griffin III is having a record-breaking rookie season for the Washington Redskins, and as players around the league already acknowledge, he's going to be a thorn in the side of many for at least a decade. However, he will face a first on Monday night when the Redskins take on the New York Giants – the first team to see him a second time. And given their previous experience with the young quarterback, Washington head coach Mike Shanahan believes this will be RGIII's biggest challenge to date.

"I think it’s a big challenge for any rookie quarterback to play in this league, especially going against a division opponent the second time, when they kind of get a feel for him, and the football team," Shanahan said. "Yeah, it’s a big challenge."

On the flip side of things, RGIII has also seen the Giants' defense now and has a better idea of what to expect. However, given the health of Kenny Phillips and the suddenly successful three and four safety looks, "Bob" may come face-to-face with a defense unlike one he has ever seen at any level. Couple that with the Giants' ability to shift personnel at a variety of different positions, and it could result in a long night for the youngster.

"The Giants are very sound in what they do. They make adjustments very quickly. They’re very sound, very talented. They have the ability to do a number of things, so you’re really not sure until you play what direction they’re going to go," Shanahan said. "You’ve got to really execute because they’re safeties, but they have the ability of corners. Usually you don’t find those types of athletes; guys that can defend the pass and do the run at the same time."

It's going to be an interesting chess match on Monday night, and as Mathias Kiwanuka said on Wednesday, it will all come down to whichever team wants it the most.

36 Responses to “Washington Redskins’ Mike Shanahan: New York Giants Will Represent Big Challenge for RGIII”

I disagree about RG3. I think he’s in for a short, glorius career filled with injuries. This year and next will be his high point unless they abandon the college offense and teach him how to play professional QB.

not so concerned with RG’s long-term career fate; this week is what matters RG is crazy fast; maybe faster than when Vick first broke into the league it seems to me the Giants have to neutralize that speed by playing outside contain with their DE’s and corners; and the DT’s and LB’s have to take the middle away from Morris the big-time default play the skins like to run is the fake to Morris with RG going right off the edge of the tackle once the DE bites one step inside to tackle Morris, RG is gone, at the second level where only the corners and safeties are there to tackle him an easy 10 almost every time he runs it take that away by having the DE’s ignore Morris and key solely on RG and the Giants are a long way towards neutralizing what makes RG special

He’s not Mike Vick. The reason they run that ‘college offense’ is (imo) because they lack the weapons to effectively run a conventional offense, not because Griffin is unable to master the complexities of an NFL offense. Perhaps with Garcon seeing more time they’ll shift a bit more towards the norm, but I imagine you’ll see that offense change very much as they begin to surround him with more talent.

Whether or not his development is successful remains to be seen, but I think they have the tools in Griffin to build the right kind of offense.

I think the reason they run that offense is because it gives them the best chance to win now. Indy doesn’t have a ton of weapons either but they still run a pro offense. I agree I think RG3 has the tools to succeed in a real offense but until he does its a question that he actually will succeed in one.

Well, Indy still has a few playmakers. Reggie Wayne is still Reggie Wayne and that TY Hilton kid is fast as hell. I agree- we don’t know Griffin has what it takes till we see him perform in a pro offense. But like you, I also think that won’t be a problem for him.

I agree, it has been proven time and time again mobile quarterbacks have a difficult time staying healthy in the NFL. Unless he learns to be a pure pocket passer and use the run sparingly, he will be injured on and off throughout his career.

If anyone wants to see why I think our defense can negate the Skins’ “pistol offense”, which is what has allowed RGIII to look so good, take a look at the previous thread.

The kid is a terrific player, but with the ability of pass rushers and the size of safeties in the NFL he simply won’t be able to keep doing what he does in future seasons. As it happens, he’s a strong thrower, so he should become a pretty good pocket passer. But I’d still put my money on Andrew Luck as the better bet 100-out-of-100 times. Classic pocket passer with speed and size. THAT’S the kind of mobility that matters. RGIII will get damaged before long if he keeps running.

the difficulty for RG in making the transition is that he is such a crazy good runner that the temptation will always be there there was one play against Dallas where Ware or someone had him dead to rights and he just bolted out of a dead stop — crazy explosion; crazy speed until those legs leave him he’ll always have that to fall back on that asset is a detriment to learning simply how to slip and slide in the pocket and continue reading the field in the short term though, it will allow him to make many a big play that would otherwise not be there

I agree with jfunk. McNabb was able to learn how to do it while he was still an effective runner. There’s no reason to believe RG III can’t either. Especially seeing how the inability to learn this has recently led to the demise of Vick, and the nasty hit delivered by Sean Witherspoon, he’d be stupid not to realize he can’t take the big hits too often if he wants to stick around in this league.

He already said himself he can’t take hits like that not only because of his own health, but also because he’s hurting the team by missing playing time. I think he gets it.

I think he gets it too and will transition to more of a pocket passer and ess of a runner, I also believe the threat of him running is part of what makes him so successful throwing the ball and the more he transitions to a pocket passer the less effective he will be. He looks like Joe Montana right now hitting all his targets but a lot of that has to do with every LB and Safety on the field being scared to death of him running and biting on his play fakes like Kujo on a Quad stack from Wendy’s. As teams adjust to him, rushing 4, maybe using a spy and dropping everyone else into coverage his completion percentage and QB rating will tumble. Not saying he wont stil be a very good QB in the league, but he wont be as unstoppable as some of the knob gobblers beilve he will

On whether or not he “gets it” – I saw one play I loved. I’m pretty sure it was during the game we played against the skins earlier this year. He ran on a broken play and had probably 5 or 6 yards to take down the middle after the first down. He would’ve picked them up easy. But he broke for the sidelines instead and finished the play uncontacted. Really smart decision for someone who I think understands he can’t have a career sprinting all over the place, especially at that size.

Like I said a couple of days ago.. Love him or hate him, Perry Fewell has done a very good job of creating game plans for teams or players that he has seen before. Remember, Michael Vick was playing MVP caliber Football until Fewell unveiled the game plan of blitzing him off the left side and making him rll left where he was much less successful. That blue print was copied by Chicago then Minnesota and was the beginning of the end of his dominance as a qb Last year GB scored 38 points running their wide open offense in the regular season. In both the playoff rematch and the game last week combined I dont think they scored 38 pts, both times getting pummeled by Fewells defense. Last year in the regular season San Fran had success with their Dink and Dunk West Coast “Alex Smith Proof” offense only to be shut down in playoffs and DOMINATED this season. I see PF coming up with something special to slow this kid down and put us in a very good position to win the game. My fear is much more in what Jim Hasletts defense is going to do to our offense than what RG3 will do to our defense.

Haslett’s defense has managed to fool Eli for two years, which is something no one else has been able to do. But I have a lot of faith in Eli Manning and I suspect he has by now a pretty good sense of what the Skins will try to do to him with disguised coverages.

But even if the above is true, we will have to run the ball successfully to do well on Monday. Cofield is having a terrific year. Thankfully, of late we are dominating teams around the middle of the field because of the outstanding play of Baas, Snee, Boothe and Hynoski. I have a feeling that London Fletcher is going to be shocked by the rapid growth he will see from Henry the Horse. If we can run at an average of 4.5-5.5 yards a pop then the entire Haslett approach breaks down because a safety has to stay up and Haslett’s variations become much less and the disguises are much easier to pick up as Eli takes his drop. If that is what happens the Skins are dead meat.

Best way to stop their running game is to shred their horrid (32nd) pass defense and put points up, making them one dimensional. Unfortunately Jim Haslett got a deal from Leslie Frasier on one used Kevin Gillbride and is now his rightful owner.. Guy has given our offense fits for 5 games since taking over as DC.

Just gotta hope Eli is now in that “zone” he gets into heading into the playoffs. Judging by the Green Bay game, I think it’ safe to say that the transformation from dead-arm Eli to cold-blooded killer Eli is beginning.

He looked like that last year after shredding Dallas on SNF for that great Comeback only to get outplayed by the Sex cannon the next week. Haslett is the only guy in the NFL that has figured out how to constantly give Eli and Gillbride Fits. He does it with the least talented defense in the NFL which is even more impressive.

I certainly hope you’re right about Fewell when he’s already seen an offense. Come playoff time, the Bears and Seahawks are the only two potential playoff team the Giants could be facing for the first time in January. We’ll have already played every other playoff contender at least once this season.

LOL that Tom Rock posts as news that Keith Rivers is NOT on the injury report. That cracks me up.

BUT, I’m telling you, the guy not only can play, but could be a difference-maker for this team down the stretch. He is our best all-around linebacker and if he can stay on the field it will make a big, big, difference.

Though I must say that I’m somewhat confused. Is this the same guy who I saw a recent picture of, watching a football game while his big fat a– could barely squeeze into a love seat he had all to himself?! Surely I must be mistaken…